1.Research progress of the dopamine system in neurological diseases.
Yu-Qi NIU ; Jin-Jin WANG ; Wen-Fei CUI ; Peng QIN ; Jian-Feng GAO
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(2):309-317
The etiology of nervous system diseases is complicated, posing significant harm to patients and often resulting in poor prognoses. In recent years, the role of dopaminergic system in nervous system diseases has attracted much attention, and its complex regulatory mechanism and therapeutic potential have been gradually revealed. This paper reviews the role of dopaminergic neurons, the neurotransmitter dopamine, dopamine receptors and dopamine transporters in neurological diseases (including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia), with a view to further elucidating the disease mechanism and providing new insights and strategies for the treatment of neurological diseases.
Humans
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Dopamine/metabolism*
;
Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology*
;
Parkinson Disease/physiopathology*
;
Receptors, Dopamine/metabolism*
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Dopaminergic Neurons/physiology*
;
Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism*
;
Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology*
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Schizophrenia/physiopathology*
;
Animals
2.Phenylpropanoids from roots of Berberis polyantha.
Dong-Mei SHA ; Shuai-Cong NI ; Li-Niu SHA-MA ; Hai-Xiao-Lin-Mo MA ; Xiao-Yong HE ; Bin HE ; Shao-Shan ZHANG ; Ying LI ; Jing WEN ; Yuan LIU ; Xin-Jia YAN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(6):1564-1568
The chemical constituents were systematically separated from the roots of Berberis polyantha by various chromatographic methods, including silica gel column chromatography, HP20 column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography, reversed-phase C_(18) column chromatography, and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic techniques(1D NMR, 2D NMR, UV, MS, and CD). Four phenylpropanoids were isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of B. polyantha, and they were identified as(2R)-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propanone-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(1), methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate(2),(+)-syringaresinol(3), and syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(4). Compound 1 was a new compound, and other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds was evaluated based on the release of nitric oxide(NO) in the culture of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. At a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), all the four compounds inhibited the LPS-induced release of NO in RAW264.7 cells, demonstrating potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Plant Roots/chemistry*
;
Animals
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Mice
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Berberis/chemistry*
;
RAW 264.7 Cells
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Macrophages/immunology*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification*
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Nitric Oxide/metabolism*
;
Molecular Structure
;
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification*
3.Risk factors and development of a predictive model for myocardial injury in children with rotavirus-induced diarrhea.
Li-Ping FENG ; Xiao-Gang WANG ; Wen-Si NIU ; Jin-Jin SHI ; Hong-Ying WANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(6):709-715
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the incidence of myocardial injury in children with rotavirus-induced diarrhea, analyze its risk factors, and develop a predictive model for myocardial injury.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 203 children diagnosed with rotavirus infection at the Suzhou Wujiang District Children's Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023. The children were divided into groups based on the presence or absence of myocardial injury. Basic information and laboratory indicators at admission were collected and compared between the two groups. LASSO regression was used to screen potential risk factors, followed by multivariate logistic regression to evaluate independent factors. A nomogram model was established and validated.
RESULTS:
Out of 203 children with rotavirus infection, 53 cases (26.1%) showed myocardial injury. Age, severe dehydration, metabolic acidosis, red cell distribution width, and blood sodium were closely associated with myocardial injury in children with rotavirus-induced diarrhea (P<0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the predictive model of myocardial injury was 0.841 (95%CI: 0.777-0.905), with a sensitivity of 73.6% and specificity of 85.3%. The model curve closely fit the ideal diagonal line. Decision curve analysis showed that using the model for prediction resulted in the highest net benefit when the probability threshold was 0.18-0.98.
CONCLUSIONS
The model developed in this study can predict the risk of myocardial injury in children with rotavirus-induced diarrhea.
Humans
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Rotavirus Infections/complications*
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Diarrhea/etiology*
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Male
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Female
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Infant
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Retrospective Studies
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Risk Factors
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Child, Preschool
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Logistic Models
;
Child
4.Effect of high ligation of spermatic vein on leukocytes in expressed prostate secretion of patients with chronic prostatitis and varicocele.
Ji-Yang DING ; Peng ZHANG ; Chun-Hua NIU ; Hai-Yong LI ; Wen-Zhu XU ; Ying-Chen ZHANG ; Gang MA
National Journal of Andrology 2025;31(4):319-322
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the effect of laparoscopic high ligation of spermatic cord vein in patients with chronic prostatitis and varicocele prostatitis.
METHODS:
A total of 90 varicocele patients were selected from January 2016 to December 2020, including 33 patients with chronic prostatitis. Changes of white blood cell count, National Institutes of Health chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI) score and serum testosterone level in the expressed prostate secretion (EPS) were observed before and after the operation of laparoscopic high ligation of spermatic vein.
RESULTS:
All patients were followed up three months after the surgery. There was no significant difference in the white blood cell counts in EPS, NIH-CPSI score, and serum testosterone level in patients with varicocele-only who underwent high ligation surgery after the operation. However, the white blood cell count in the EPS of patients with chronic prostatitis was lower than that before 3 months of operation ( [12.39±4.23]×109/L vs [21.36±5.05]×109/L). The NIH-CPSI score was significantly lower than that before operation ( [12.71±6.21] vs [26.76±8.43]). And the serum testosterone level was higher than that before operation ([4.34±1.77]ng/ml vs [2.36±1.05]ng/ml).
CONCLUSION
Laparoscopic high ligation of the spermatic vein in patients with chronic prostatitis and varicocele could effectively reduce the number of white blood cells in the EPS, boost the level of serum testosterone and improves symptoms of chronic prostatitis.
Male
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Humans
;
Varicocele/surgery*
;
Prostatitis/blood*
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Ligation
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Spermatic Cord/blood supply*
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Testosterone/blood*
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Chronic Disease
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Prostate/metabolism*
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Veins/surgery*
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Leukocyte Count
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Leukocytes
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Laparoscopy
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Adult
5.Brucea javanica Seed Oil Emulsion and Shengmai Injections Improve Peripheral Microcirculation in Treatment of Gastric Cancer.
Li QUAN ; Wen-Hao NIU ; Fu-Peng YANG ; Yan-da ZHANG ; Ru DING ; Zhi-Qing HE ; Zhan-Hui WANG ; Chang-Zhen REN ; Chun LIANG
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(4):299-310
OBJECTIVE:
To explore and verify the effect and potential mechanism of Brucea javanica Seed Oil Emulsion Injection (YDZI) and Shengmai Injection (SMI) on peripheral microcirculation dysfunction in treatment of gastric cancer (GC).
METHODS:
The potential mechanisms of YDZI and SMI were explored through network pharmacology and verified by cellular and clinical experiments. Human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) were cultured for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured for tube formation assay. Twenty healthy volunteers and 97 patients with GC were enrolled. Patients were divided into surgical resection, surgical resection with chemotherapy, and surgical resection with chemotherapy combining YDZI and SMI groups. Forearm skin blood perfusion was measured and recorded by laser speckle contrast imaging coupled with post-occlusive reactive hyperemia. Cutaneous vascular conductance and microvascular reactivity parameters were calculated and compared across the groups.
RESULTS:
After network pharmacology analysis, 4 ingredients, 82 active compounds, and 92 related genes in YDZI and SMI were screened out. β-Sitosterol, an active ingredient and intersection compound of YDZI and SMI, upregulated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2, P<0.01), downregulated the expression of caspase 9 (CASP9) and estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1, P<0.01) in HMECs under oxaliplatin stimulation, and promoted tube formation through VEGFA. Chemotherapy significantly impaired the microvascular reactivity in GC patients, whereas YDZI and SMI ameliorated this injury (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
YDZI and SMI ameliorated peripheral microvascular reactivity in GC patients. β-Sitosterol may improve peripheral microcirculation by regulating VEGFA, PTGS2, ESR1, and CASP9.
Humans
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Microcirculation/drug effects*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Stomach Neoplasms/physiopathology*
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Emulsions
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Male
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Plant Oils/administration & dosage*
;
Brucea/chemistry*
;
Middle Aged
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Female
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Drug Combinations
;
Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/metabolism*
;
Seeds/chemistry*
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Injections
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Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism*
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Aged
;
Network Pharmacology
6.Effect of regional crosstalk between sympathetic nerves and sensory nerves on temporomandibular joint osteoarthritic pain.
Zhangyu MA ; Qianqian WAN ; Wenpin QIN ; Wen QIN ; Janfei YAN ; Yina ZHU ; Yuzhu WANG ; Yuxuan MA ; Meichen WAN ; Xiaoxiao HAN ; Haoyan ZHAO ; Yuxuan HOU ; Franklin R TAY ; Lina NIU ; Kai JIAO
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):3-3
Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) is a common disease often accompanied by pain, seriously affecting physical and mental health of patients. Abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction has been considered as a predominant origin of arthralgia, while the specific mechanism mediating pain remains unclear. To investigate the underlying mechanism of TMJ-OA pain, an abnormal joint loading model was used to induce TMJ-OA pain. We found that during the development of TMJ-OA, the increased innervation of sympathetic nerve of subchondral bone precedes that of sensory nerves. Furthermore, these two types of nerves are spatially closely associated. Additionally, it was discovered that activation of sympathetic neural signals promotes osteoarthritic pain in mice, whereas blocking these signals effectively alleviates pain. In vitro experiments also confirmed that norepinephrine released by sympathetic neurons promotes the activation and axonal growth of sensory neurons. Moreover, we also discovered that through releasing norepinephrine, regional sympathetic nerves of subchondral bone were found to regulate growth and activation of local sensory nerves synergistically with other pain regulators. This study identified the role of regional sympathetic nerves in mediating pain in TMJ-OA. It sheds light on a new mechanism of abnormal innervation at the osteochondral junction and the regional crosstalk between peripheral nerves, providing a potential target for treating TMJ-OA pain.
Animals
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Osteoarthritis/physiopathology*
;
Mice
;
Sympathetic Nervous System/physiopathology*
;
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/physiopathology*
;
Arthralgia
;
Sensory Receptor Cells
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Norepinephrine
;
Male
;
Temporomandibular Joint/physiopathology*
;
Pain Measurement
7.Clinical trial of sacubitril/valsartan sodium on the patients with heart failure in acute myocardial infarction after PCI
Jie-Ting NIU ; Wen-Juan WANG ; Li ZHAO ; Liang-Liang ZUO ; Qian-Qian GU
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(2):160-164
Objective To investigate the effect of sakubatrotril and valsartan in the treatment of heart failure after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)for acute myocardial infarction(AMI).Methods AMI patients who received PCI were randomly divided into treatment group and control group.Both groups were given routine basic treatment such as anti-platelet aggregation,lipidregulation,β-blocker and diuretic tolasemide,while the control group was given enalapril maleate tablet(5 mg,bid).The treatment group was given sacubactril valsartan sodium tablets(5 mg,bid)in addition to basic treatment.The clinical efficacy,myocardial injury markers,cardiac function,ventricular remodeling indexes,vascular endothelial function and cardiovascular adverse events(MACEs)were compared between the two groups.Results The treatment group and the control group were enrolled in 40 patients.After 3 months of treatment,the total effective rate of the treatment group was 95.00%and that of the control group was 80.00%.The difference between the total effective rate of the treatment group and the control group was statistically significant(P<0.05).After 3 months of treatment,the levels of creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB)in treatment group and control group were(30.23±5.28)and(36.58±7.05)U·L-1,respectively;cardiac troponin Ⅰ(cTnⅠ)were(1.04±0.18)and(1.25±0.31)ng·mL-1,respectively;left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)were(40.29±6.32)%and(34.39±5.62)%,and endothelium-dependent diastolic function(FMD)were(15.72±2.83)%and(9.55±2.05)%,respectively;nitric oxide(NO)levels were(47.41±5.85)and(41.28±3.37)μmol·L-1;endothelin-1(ET-1)was(70.53±8.29)and(83.62±10.11)ng·L-1,respectively.Compared with the control group,the above indexes in treatment groups were statistically significant(all P<0.05).The incidence of MACEs was 10.00%in treatment group and 25.00%in control group,with no statistical significance(P>0.05).After 3 months of treatment,the incidence of adverse drug reactions in AMI patients in treatment group was 12.50%,and that in control group was 17.50%.There was no statistical significance in the incidence of adverse drug reactions in treatment group compared with control group(P>0.05).Conclusion Sacubactril valsartan can effectively prevent ventricular remodeling and improve vascular endothelial function in patients with heart failure after PCI.
8.Research status of pharmacological mechanism of PCSK9 inhibitors and discussion of their clinical application
Wen-Hui MO ; Si-Lei XU ; Xia HE ; Niu-Niu BAI ; Meng-Ying YUAN ; Zhi-Min LI ; Jiao ZHANG ; Fei WANG ; Yuan-Kun ZHENG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(16):2438-2441
Atherosclerosis caused by disorders of lipid metabolism is the main pathological basis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.Statins are the cornerstone of lipid-modulating therapy for this type of disease,but in practice there are still some patients with suboptimal lipid management.Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9(PCSK9)inhibitors have been gradually applied as a new class of lipid-modulating drugs for the treatment in patients with this type of disease,and recent studies have shown that in addition to regulating lipid metabolism,PCSK9 inhibitors also have potential anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet activation effects.This article sorts out the multiple pharmacological mechanisms of action of PCSK9 inhibitors and the current status of clinical research of PCSK9 inhibitors.Besides,it discusses the factors that may affect the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibitors,in order to provide a reference for the safe and rational medication of PCSK9 inhibitors.
9.High-throughput screening of novel TFEB agonists in protecting against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice.
Xiaojuan CHAO ; Mengwei NIU ; Shaogui WANG ; Xiaowen MA ; Xiao YANG ; Hua SUN ; Xujia HU ; Hua WANG ; Li ZHANG ; Ruili HUANG ; Menghang XIA ; Andrea BALLABIO ; Hartmut JAESCHKE ; Hong-Min NI ; Wen-Xing DING
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2024;14(1):190-206
Macroautophagy (referred to as autophagy hereafter) is a major intracellular lysosomal degradation pathway that is responsible for the degradation of misfolded/damaged proteins and organelles. Previous studies showed that autophagy protects against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced injury (AILI) via selective removal of damaged mitochondria and APAP protein adducts. The lysosome is a critical organelle sitting at the end stage of autophagy for autophagic degradation via fusion with autophagosomes. In the present study, we showed that transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master transcription factor for lysosomal biogenesis, was impaired by APAP resulting in decreased lysosomal biogenesis in mouse livers. Genetic loss-of and gain-of function of hepatic TFEB exacerbated or protected against AILI, respectively. Mechanistically, overexpression of TFEB increased clearance of APAP protein adducts and mitochondria biogenesis as well as SQSTM1/p62-dependent non-canonical nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) activation to protect against AILI. We also performed an unbiased cell-based imaging high-throughput chemical screening on TFEB and identified a group of TFEB agonists. Among these agonists, salinomycin, an anticoccidial and antibacterial agent, activated TFEB and protected against AILI in mice. In conclusion, genetic and pharmacological activating TFEB may be a promising approach for protecting against AILI.

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